|
|
|
|
 |
|
Meet Sarah
Sarah began schooling with HEED in 2007, the year our primary school opened in a borrowed church with faith and just enough funds to pay for one teacher for one year. Thankfully, we have been able to continue to provide education, and Sarah has taken full advantage of the opportunity. She has just finished high school, and is one of our first students to go all the way from kindergarten through high school in our own schools.
I had a chat with Sarah and asked how her life is different because of HEED. Sarah has been able to continue school because of our scholarship/work program which helps pay her school fees. She explained that before HEED started the primary school, she was "seated at home, grazing cattle, and waiting to be married off, probably by age 13." Sarah is instead graduating from high school at age 18 with dreams of becoming a journalist and marrying when she is ready.
Our Village Advisory Committee which is comprised of locally elected leaders has made protecting "The Girl Child" a top priority through combating early marriage and encouraging girls to graduate from high school. Sarah is a pioneer, and we are so proud of her!
Thank you, scholarship supporters for the empowering Sarah to pursue a better future!
|
|
|
TWO Ways to Support HEED This Holiday Season!
|
2020 Project Catalog - Coming soon!
- Give the gift of lab equipment to your favorite science geek
- Give 5 chicks to the guy who loves omelettes
- Give your child's teacher one month's teacher salary at our school
Our 2020 Project Catalog will be in the mail and on our website soon. If you give an item as a gift, we can send gift cards to you or send them directly to your loved ones for you. The catalog is our major source of funding each year.
|
Lynch Creek Farms Christmas Wreaths
- 20% of all orders to benefit HEED Uganda
- FREE shipping
- Delivered to you or directly to your loved ones
- Presented in a decorative red box
For every $50 spent,
$10 will go to HEED Uganda.
With just $10,
HEED can provide a month of education,
two meals a day, and health care
for a student in one of our schools.
|
|
|
Introducing Julius
Our country director resigned unexpectedly in June to marry and move out of Uganda. She had been with us for 5 years, and had brought a new level of stability and forward progress to operations. We were so happy for Irene, but wondered how God would replace her. Our board decided we needed a replacement with considerable non-profit management experience, but despite two rounds of interviews over several months, had not found a good match. Hiring a replacement was an objective for our October trip, but we didn't have candidates who were known quantities or with the level of experience we desired. We continued to pray and plan for interviews at the end of the trip.
Another objective of the trip was to hire a gentleman part-time who had worked on a contract basis for us doing income generating agriculture projects. He delivered results, had good business skills and agriculture knowledge, proven integrity, and was rooted in his faith. We were thrilled to sign him to a three-year part-time staff contract.
Then, on our last morning together in the village, Julie felt the Holy Spirit nudge that he could be a good fit for the lead position, and all agreed. She asked him to apply based on his proven character, demonstrated results, and servant mindset. It was only during the interview process that we learned he had also been the
Lead Program Manager for Compassion International for 8 years before leaving to start his own business! He agreed to close his business and return to full-time ministry serving with HEED.
God led us to Julius who was "hidden in plain sight!" We are honored that Julius would bring his considerable talent and experience to work with HEED.
|
|
October Mission Trip Highlights
In October, seven of us returned to Uganda to love and play with children, conduct teacher training for a new primary school Christian curriculum, orient key new staff, and advance the ministry in many other ways. It is always a full agenda morning to night. We were impressed by our new staff, proud of graduating high school students, grateful for the continued construction of the high school, and encouraged by the growth and life in the church. So many encouraging things are happening!
The most important change, though, is in the overall spirit of the area. A crown of beauty is emerging from the ashes and a garment of praise is replacing the spirit of despair just as Isaiah 61:3 proclaims. This verse has been central to our vision, and we rejoice that this once "unlucky place" is now full of hope and community pride. We might need a new nickname for this area referred to as unlucky!
|
|
| Teacher Rachel training teachers |
|
|
|
| One of our new high school classrooms |
|
|
|
| Kate and Sophie made their second trip |
|
|
|
| The high school received 10 laptops |
|
|
|
| The high school girls used the donated fabric to make pillows for themselves and as gifts for others |
|
|
|
| After school game time with games gifted from the Amazon Wish List |
|
|
|
Third High School Classroom Block Under Construction
We are grateful to the generous donors who have provided funds for the third high school classroom block. This building will provide needed classrooms and temporary boarding space for 70 high school boys. We broke ground in late September and the building should be ready for the new school year starting in February for the 200+ students who attend.
|
|
| Breaking ground in September |
|
|
|
| Brick by brick the foundation is laid |
|
|
|
| Everything is dug by hand |
|
|
|
|
| The walls are going up fast |
|
|
|
| The next step is the roof |
|
|
|
Praises and Prayer Requests
"...As you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many."
2 Corinthians 1:11
Provision:
This summer we were offered an amazing $4 for construction for every $1 HEED raised. We began raising funds in August, and God helped us raise the full amount of the match offer by the end of October. This has allowed construction to start on the 3rd high school building.
- Please thank God for his miraculous provision for HEED
- Please pray that HEED can successfully negotiate a fair price on additional land needed for both campuses long-term
We will be putting together our Giving Catalog for 2020 projects soon. It is a huge job, we need to select the right projects from among the many needs of the ministry, and it is the financial base from which we operate for most of the year.
- Prayers appreciated over the process and that God will provide what is needed
Spiritual Growth:
We thank God for the changing atmosphere in the village. The "Spirit of despair" has been replaced by a "garment of praise" as Isaiah 61:3-4 describes.
- Now we pray for the children to become "Oaks of righteousness and a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor so that they will become restorers of places long devastated" as our vision from Isaiah 61:3-4 declares
Staffing:
In addition to Julius, we also have new highly qualified head teachers at the primary and the high school, and are ecstatic about the experience and vision of both. They are enthusiastic about ushering in more progressive teaching, and the primary will be introducing a new Christian curriculum that has proven to help children develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. The national curriculum was created in 1965, has not been updated, and relies mostly on rote teaching. On this trip, we invited ministry friends with schools to an informational seminar to learn about this curriculum knowing that that the transition would be easier if there was a group of schools making the change together. It was well-received, and a minimum of 5 and possibly 15 schools, will be introducing the curriculum next year. This is good for HEED and good for Uganda.
- Prayers for all the new staff to be effective in their roles
- Prayers appreciated for a successful transition for all schools who implement the Roots 2 fruits curriculum and for the education reforms we plan to implement
Please join us in prayer!
Prayer requests are sent out to the prayer team as needs arise.
E-mail [email protected] with "Add me to the prayer group" to join.
|
|
Thank you!
"
W
eebale nyo"
(in Luganda)
Thank you for equipping us to reach out
in love to children and their community.
|
Follow us on
Facebook as w
e post updates and news there often!
Many of you receive our electronic information, but aren't in our "snail-mail" database.
We don't
do mailings often, but when we do, would like to include you. Please reply to this email
noting
your address. We will get your information added right away.
|
|
|
|
|
